Salem Al-Dossary hat-trick powers Al Hilal to wild 5-3 win over Al Raed
Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — Al Hilal claimed their first win under interim head coach Mohammed Al Shalhoub with a thrilling 5-3 victory over bottom-placed Al Raed on Thursday in Matchweek 30 of the Saudi Pro League.
Club captain Salem Al Dawsari led the charge with a brilliant hat-trick to help the reigning champions bounce back after their AFC Champions League Elite semi-final exit to Al Ahli and the subsequent departure of Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus.
Al Hilal took the lead in the 32nd minute when Aleksandar Mitrovic found the net, before Al Dawsari doubled the advantage nine minutes later with a sharp finish from inside the box.
Kareem El Berkaoui pulled one back for Al Raed just before halftime, blasting in from close range to make it 2-1.
Al Hilal regained control early in the second half. Al Dawsari scored again in the 59th minute with a low strike, and Malcom added the fourth goal in the 66th after a well-worked team move.
El Berkaoui, however, responded almost immediately, capitalizing on a misjudgment from Al Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou to score his second of the night.
Al Dawsari completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute with a stunning solo effort, cutting inside from the left and rifling a shot into the top corner to make it 5-2.
Al Raed were awarded a penalty deep into stoppage time, which Saleh Al Amri converted for the game's final goal, but it did little to alter the outcome.
The win takes Al Hilal up to 65 points in second place, three behind league leaders Al Ittihad. Al Raed remain rooted to the bottom of the table with 21 points and are facing an uphill battle to avoid relegation.
The victory also marked a promising start for Al Shalhoub in his first senior managerial assignment, with Al Hilal showing renewed attacking flair and purpose.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
7 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Al Hilal president: No new signings for Club World Cup due to inflated demands
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Al Hilal President Fahad Bin Nafel confirmed that preparations for the FIFA Club World Cup began as early as 2023, with a clear strategy to build a competitive squad by recruiting top players in their positions. He described the recent appointment of Italian coach Simone Inzaghi as a transformative step in the club's tactical and technical development. In a video message shared on the club's official X account, Bin Nafel said: 'Our Club World Cup preparations started long ago. The most important recent step was signing Simone Inzaghi — one of the best managers in the world. His arrival is a major shift for Al Hilal, and we hope it leads to championships and new successes for the club.' Bin Nafel emphasized that Inzaghi's coaching style requires specific player profiles, and the club had been working to secure reinforcements that align with his approach. However, time constraints and inflated transfer demands forced the club to proceed with the current squad for the tournament. 'The special transfer window before the Club World Cup lasts just 10 days. Options were limited compared to the summer market. Many players we spoke with preferred to rest after a long season and join during the summer preseason. That's when we'll have better opportunities to meet the technical staff's needs,' he added. He concluded with a message to the fans: 'Your support is vital. You are the driving force behind the team. As management, we strive to make the right decisions, and when we falter, we act quickly to correct our course. With Inzaghi on board, this is an important phase, and with time, we'll meet all the requirements to keep Al Hilal where it belongs. Next season will be even better.'
Saudi Gazette
8 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia miss World Cup spot after Australia defeat, head to Asian playoff
Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Saudi Arabia's hopes of direct qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an end on Tuesday night after a 2-1 home defeat to Australia at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah. The result left the Green Falcons third in Group C with 13 points, sending them to the Asian playoff round. Herve Renard's side needed a near-impossible five-goal win to leapfrog Australia in the standings and claim the group's second automatic qualification spot. Despite taking an early lead through Abdulrahman Al Obod in the 19th minute, goals from Connor Metcalfe (42') and Mitchell Duke (49') sealed the win — and World Cup ticket — for the Socceroos, who now join Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and Jordan as Asia's six confirmed representatives at the 2026 finals. The loss marks another frustrating chapter for Saudi Arabia, who will now compete in the fourth-round playoff alongside other third- and fourth-place finishers from the qualifying groups. Six teams will be split into two groups of three, with only the group winners advancing to the World Cup. The runners-up will face off in a playoff for a chance to reach the intercontinental playoff. Al Obod gave Saudi Arabia hope with his close-range finish after a setup by Salem Al-Dawsari and Firas Al-Buraikan. The home crowd erupted, but the momentum was short-lived. Australia equalized before the break, as Duke's pass found Metcalfe unmarked in the box. The midfielder took a touch before powering the ball past goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi. Just after halftime, Duke struck again, this time heading in from a set-piece to complete the comeback. Saudi Arabia's frustration grew when VAR overturned a red card shown to Australia's Mitchell Duke and later awarded a penalty to the hosts after Al-Dawsari was fouled. But Al-Dawsari's spot-kick was saved, and substitute Marwan Al-Sahafi missed the rebound, firing wide from close range. The Green Falcons finished the campaign with just 13 points and six goals in 10 matches — a statistic that reflects their attacking struggles throughout the qualifiers. Australia, meanwhile, secured their seventh consecutive World Cup appearance and became the 11th team to qualify for the expanded 48-team tournament, joining co-hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico, along with Argentina, New Zealand, and five other Asian teams. The AFC playoff draw is set for July 17, with Saudi Arabia expected to be one of the top seeds. Despite the setback, Renard's men still have a path to North America — but it just got much longer.
Asharq Al-Awsat
15 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal Fly Asian Standard at Club World Cup
Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal will be the standard bearers for Asian football at the revamped Club World Cup after appointing Simone Inzaghi to coach a squad bristling with playing talent from the Kingdom and around the world. Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have all joined Saudi captain Salem Al-Dawsari at the Riyadh-based club since it received major investment from the nation's Public Investment Fund. Former Inter Milan coach Inzaghi takes over a squad that fell short of their lofty standards by failing to win a fifth Asian Champions League title in May, a misstep that cost Jorge Jesus the chance to lead the team to the Club World Cup. While Al-Hilal head to the tournament with ambitions of making a big impact in a group also featuring Real Madrid, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg, the expectations for Asia's three other clubs are likely to be more modest. Emirati side Al-Ain won the 2024 Asian Champions League to secure their berth but have endured a dismal 13 months since, and the defense of their continental title ended in ignominy with no wins from eight matches. Hernan Crespo, who had led the club to their second Asian title, paid the price in November but his replacement Leonardo Jardim lasted only two months before Serbian Vladimir Ivic was drafted in to try to stop the rot. Togolese striker Kodjo Laba, who was top scorer in the UAE Pro League last season, and Moroccan winger Soufiane Rahimi will be Al-Ain's biggest attacking threats when they take on Manchester City, Juventus and Wydad in the group stage. At least one Asian team will go into the competition in decent form with Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds showing improved domestic performances under Maciej Skorza. The Pole led Urawa to the Asian Champions League title in 2023, five months after replacing Ricardo Rodriguez, only to leave at the end of that season for personal reasons. He returned in late 2024 and has developed a side that are contenders to win the for the first time since their sole title in 2006. Former Japan midfielder Genki Haraguchi has returned to Urawa after a decade in Germany to lead the club's resurgence alongside the experienced Takahiro Sekine, who was instrumental in the club's Asian Champions League wins in 2017 and 2022. Urawa have been drawn with River Plate, Inter Milan and Monterrey at the Club World Cup. South Korea's Ulsan HD will be playing in the competition for the third time after featuring in the earlier iteration in 2012 and 2020. Kim Pan-gon's side qualified due to the club's record in Asian competition over the last four years, during which Ulsan reach the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League in 2021 and 2023. Both of those runs, though, were achieved under former coach Hong Myung-bo, now the South Korea national team boss, with the team's performances becoming more inconsistent after Kim's arrival last summer. The former Malaysia coach took over with minimal exposure to top-level club football and his side, who will play Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F, face a stiff challenge to make a positive impact in the United States. Jung Woo-young played at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and brings stability to the Ulsan midfield, while goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo played a key role as South Korea eliminated world champions Germany in 2018.
